The present invention relates to a solar panel.
Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 6-39935 discloses a solar panel that includes a protection plate, a back cover, photovoltaic battery cells, a conductive member, and an encapsulant. The protection plate is formed from inorganic glass. The conductive member electrically connects the photovoltaic battery cells to one another. The photovoltaic battery cells and the conductive member are arranged between the protection plate and the back cover and encapsulated by the encapsulant. The encapsulated photovoltaic cells and conductive member are fixed to the protection plate and the back cover.
In general, the conductive members of a solar panel are formed by metal plates and thus have a metallic color such as silver. Accordingly, when the solar panel is viewed from the front surface of a protection plate, the conductive members are more noticeable than necessary. This adversely affects the aesthetic appeal. In the solar panel of Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 6-39935, a portion of the protection plate that opposes each photovoltaic battery cell is translucent from the front surface to the rear surface. Further, opaque (for example, black) paint is applied to portions in the rear surface of the protection plate that oppose the conductive member. In this manner, the conductive member of the solar panel is shielded by opaque paint to improve the aesthetic appeal.
However, manufacturing of the conventional solar panel requires a process for preparing a transparent protection plate formed from inorganic glass and a process for applying opaque paint to the necessary portions of the protection plate. This increases the manufacturing cost of the protection plate and thus increases the manufacturing cost of the solar panel.